Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Welcome to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Montgomery College

Diagnostic medical sonography is an exciting imaging modality that is
continuously evolving with technological advances. At Montgomery
College we strive to provide a comprehensive and thorough education to
ready our sonographers of the future for this progressive medical
imaging modality.

Students
who plan to major in diagnostic medical sonography will be assigned the
temporary major of pre-diagnostic medical sonography, with POS code 530, until
they are officially admitted to the diagnostic medical sonography program.
Students may take preparatory courses and courses that fulfill General
Education requirements during the waiting period. As an alternative to being
assigned a temporary major, students waiting for admission to the diagnostic
medical sonography program may choose to major in general studies or any other
open-admission program. The Admissions and Records Office at Takoma Park/Silver
Spring will assign a matriculated code once students are admitted to the
diagnostic medical sonography program.

Montgomery
College is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools, and the Program of Diagnostic Medical Sonography is
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Educational
Programs (CAAHEP).

Diagnostic medical sonography is a multi-specialty profession
comprised of abdominal sonography, cardiac sonography, obstetrics/gynecology
sonography, vascular sonography, and other clinical areas. These diverse areas
all use ultrasound as a primary technology in their daily work.

The diagnostic
medical sonographer is an individual who provides patient care services using ultrasound
and related diagnostic procedures. The diagnostic medical sonographer must be educationally
prepared and clinically competent as a prerequisite to professional practice.
Demonstration and maintain competency through certification by a nationally
recognized sonography credentialing organization is the standard of practice in
sonography, and maintenance of certification in all areas of practice is
endorsed.

The
diagnostic medical sonographer functions as a delegated agent of the physician
and does not practice independently. Diagnostic medical sonographers are
committed to enhanced patient care and continuous quality improvement that
increases knowledge and technical competence. Diagnostic medical sonographers
use independent, professional and ethical judgment, and critical thinking to
safely perform diagnostic sonographic procedures.

Admission
requirements, including specific selection criteria, have been established by
the Board of Trustees; see the Admissions and Registration section of this
catalog.

Students
need to meet prerequisites for first-semester courses. Each of the diagnostic
medical sonography courses builds on materials offered in previous courses.
Students in this curriculum are required to achieve a grade of C or better in
each sonography course, submit to a criminal background and drug testing and
maintain current CPR certification while enrolled in the program.

Upon completion
of this curriculum, the graduate will receive an AAS and be eligible to apply
to take the national registry exam, administered by the American Registry of
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, in one or more of the following concentrations:
abdominal sonography, obstetrics/gynecology sonography, adult echocardiography,
or vascular sonography.

This website was created to provide a
glimpse into the world of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and provide
information about the Montgomery College Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Program to potential students. Please explore and discover if the
Montgomery College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is right for
you!

Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a progressive imaging modality that is being continuously shaped by technological advances and, like all medical professions, continuing education is a key component to maintaining the high standard of care medical institutions require from their employees.

Here at the Montgomery College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program we encourage our students and graduates to look to the future and explore the many avenues available for continuing education including becoming certified in multiple specialty tracks and attending further higher educational programs.

Montgomery College has admissions agreements with a number of four year institutions and the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program has partnered with The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences to provide Montgomery College Diagnostic Medical Sonography graduates with multiple continuing education pathways.